Chapter 25

The ride home from Ryan's in Seth & Summer's car was quiet. Marissa leaned her head back in the backseat and watched out the window as the streets passed by. As the car pulled into the driveway, Marissa came to a startling realization that she was in her own neighborhood by the water in Richmond.

"It's not a McMansion, but it's home" said Seth as they got out of the car.

"It's not much different from mine" commented Marissa. "I live round the corner on Piedmont Place. I should have just taken my car and gone home."

"Ok, first of all Coop, I can't believe we were this close and never ran into each other" said Summer as she unlocked the door. "Secondly, Chino would have my ass…make that Cohen's ass since I'm pregnant…if we didn't look after you tonight."

"Yeah, and the reason you're here instead of staying with him is that he'd be too tempted to jump your bones, especially with Nate around…" Summer glared at Seth with his comment "…you…know…young ears…and stuff…well, I'm gonna go upstairs and watch TV…leave you guys to catch up." Seth pierced his lips making a popping sound and took off upstairs.

"Ew, Cohen! Just ignore him, Coop. He's always been kind of obsessed with yours and Ryan's sex life. It's kinda creepy really. You want some tea? It will help you sleep."

"Uh, yeah, sure. Um, I'm still fuzzy on a lot things. I'm hoping that sleep will clear things up a bit more. It's like I see things in little movies of specific moments, but any background information is still missing unless we've talked about it. A lot of what I'm remembering I still can't put into context."

"It's pretty scary, huh? I can't imagine what you're going through right now. I'm just happy you're back. It wasn't good without you, for any of us, but especially Ryan."

"Yeah, and that's the scariest part for me. I mean, he looks at me and sees the girl he was in love with in high school. I felt the connection even before I knew who he was, or who I was, and now every minute I spent with him today, it just got stronger. I just don't know if we should be diving into this so quickly. Then there's his whole ex-fiancee thing. I mean he split up with her yesterday! I can't remember anything about Taylor at the moment, but I know she must have meant something to him. All I know is that since the accident, I've felt like there was something missing, and I don't just mean memories, I mean really something missing making me feel empty. After I met Ryan in his office, before I knew any of this, for the first time in eight years, I didn't feel empty." Marissa wiped a tear from her eye and smiled weakly at Summer.

"Taylor, yeah, she was special to him. She saved him from himself after you 'died'. I would venture to say that with Taylor it was comfort and gratitude disguised as love." Summer finished making the tea for Marissa and they went to sit at the kitchen table. "But everything else pretty much sums up you and Ryan in a nutshell. I mean from what you've heard today and what you're now remembering, you must have gathered that you and Chino, not the most stable relationship on the planet. There were times that I threatened Seth with god knows what not to mess with bringing you guys back together during one of your separations, because then it seemed that separately you were great people that I loved, but as soon as you got together, disaster struck."

"Sum, that is my biggest fear. I've been remembering pieces of conversations we must have had in the past, and they were always about Ryan and I fighting or someone else in the picture. Why should I believe it would be any different now? I'm starting over, creating Marissa Cooper again. Ryan Atwood and Marissa Cooper didn't work before. Why would it work now?"

"Coop, despite everything I just said, there is one thing that I could be sure of. In the times you two were apart, neither of you worked. Your other relationships, your lives in general. As much drama, and there was so much drama, when you were together, it was worse when you were apart. And the main thing you have going for you this time, is that neither of you are the same people you were in high school. You've both grown and added life experiences…in your case, a whole fictionally created life by Julie, but it was still your life." Summer yawned. "Junior had me up at 5 a.m. and probably will again tomorrow, so I should go to bed. The guest room is the first door on the right at the top of the stairs. Will you be ok? I'll sit up if you want me to."

"No, no, please, you need your sleep, and I didn't get too much last night either. I'll come up with you now." Marissa paused before starting up the stairs. "Summer, thank you, not just for tonight. After all, you totally kick started this memoryfest when I saw purple." She leaned over to hug Summer.

"You're totally welcome, Coop. I just can't believe you're here, and know that I'm always here…no seriously, I am, I never go anywhere any more." She laughed. "You sleep tight and I'll see you in the morning."

Marissa went into the guest room and Summer into her room to find Seth asleep in the bed with the TV on. He stirred as she got into bed.

"Is everything ok?" he said seriously. "I got the feeling that you guys were going to get into a pretty intense conversation."

"Umm…yeah…I guess. She's a little freaked out over Ryan and whether they can work, and honestly, Seth, I'm worried too."

Seth sat up. "Whoa, it must be serious, you called me Seth."

Summer glared at him signaling this was serious. "It's like high school all over again. You know what it's like when those two are together. They're like this totally intense fire burning with passion, and then somebody throws a box of fireworks and some gasoline on it. Not good."

"Ok, sweetie, first of all, did anybody say they were together? And second of all, don't stress what you can't control. If it's like high school again, then what we have to do is let them work it out. Just like then."

"Oh yeah, that's so what you do Cohen. Remember the pep rally bonfire in junior year? You didn't interfere at all there did you? Hmm?"

"So MAYBE I pushed them a little bit, but it wasn't a bad thing… for a while at least…until…ah, I see your point, but it only emphasizes mine, that this time, we really should leave them to figure it out for themselves. Now go to sleep, kickoff for Junior is in less than six hours. I love you."

"I love you too" Summer replied thoughtfully as she turned her light off and lay awake. This wasn't going to be easy on anybody, she thought.

In the guest room, Marissa lay awake. As tired as she was, she could not fall asleep. She wanted to fall asleep, to dream again, to remember more, but the harder she tried, the more awake she was. At about 3 a.m., she decided it was no longer worth trying, so she quietly got dressed and slipped out of the house.